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Topic: Rainbow Glass (Read 3142 times)

Holiday Greetings everyone. I'm on holiday for the next few weeks so I thought I would start up a topic on the difference between colored cut to clear (color in two or more planes) and rainbow glass (two or more colors on one plane). Theory is that the control of the colors in one plane could not be perfected in order to produce the desired effect for mass production-----thus a limited number of rainbow glass pieces. However, the rainbow glass that was produced was highly cut and highly polished so they would show brilliantly. Anyone who has examples of rainbow glass versus the colored cut to clear would be helpful since I only have colored cut to clear peices.

Hi NancyGood to see you posting again.I am not familiar with the term "rainbow" glass. Could you give a written reference of this term ? Despite your explanation I'm still confused as to what it might be.

Well, I wish I could give you an explanation of what rainbow glass is, but I don't have too much information on it, (and that's why I thought I would start up a discussion on this type of glassmaking since all the top experts in the world are members of this great site :lol: ) but seriously, my take on it is when the glass is in that molten stage the glassmaker some how puts different chemicals in the glass which makes it appear, when cooled, to have all the brilliant colors of the rainbow. Here is the only example of rainbow glass that I could find to give you an idea of what I'm talking about.

Even though these are earrings, imagine what a vase would look like. So with colored cut to clear, the glass maker actually has two different layers of glass, but with rainbow its produced with only one layer. I hope I haven't confused you more I'm into my cocktail hour!!

Hi NancyThe example you show of ear rings are they not just crystal cut like adiamond and as the facets catch the light and bend, it this breaks the light spectrum giving a rainbow effect , just like a real rainbow after a shower of rain.

Just another thought there is a glass called Rainbow glass, this is made in WV I have a photo of a small jug with label I will look for it and post a link.

I may be way off track here with both of my comments!!

PS. Hope I will be forgiven for an off topic note, is there any chance of some photos of your light table ( if I have the right Nancy )

Not sure I get the grasp of this. It seems you are describing paste (also knowns as strass, or Swarowski, or rhinestone, or costume jewellery) and your link points at a pair of paste eardrops. I do not think there is a relation to Rainbow Art Glass Co. , a glass maker which operated from 1942 until it was engulfed by Viking in 1972. Although - they are reported to have made cased glass as well.looking forward to seeing examples.

Peter is correct in that glass just by its very nature will reflect light. Add cutting or molded planes and it will break up the light into a spectrum of colors. A prism after all is nothing more than a triangle of glass that breaks the light. What I am seeing here in the earrings however appears to be glass of various colors either cut or molded into the final shape. That would be easy enough to do when gathering the hot glass, clear, pick up some other colors and proceed. We have all seen multi colored items. As to a type of glass called "Rainbow" I have never run across the term except as Tony points out the Rainbow glass company. Also the term is used for multicolored Mother of Pearl satin glass. Its called Rainbow Mother of Pearl. Again multiple colors are gathered and the object is then made. Maybe some of our experts who actually make glass can help on this one. Terry

PS. Hope I will be forgiven for an off topic note, is there any chance of some photos of your light table ( if I have the right Nancy ).

Ooooohhhh Nancy with the light table... well-spotted Tony

Nancy, if you no longer have the photos can I please post copies of yours that I squirrelled away on my hard-drive in case they were ever useful? If it's OK with you I'll add them to GlassGallery for others to see. Pretty please and thank you.

I will take photos of the box and post them for you all. I really didn't think that my box would be so popular and I'm very flattered. It's nice to be wanted. Thanks.

As for the rainbow glass, I'm really stumped, because I thought it was a glass that was made, cut and polished. I guess I will have to do some more research with photos. The earrings was just an example of the color effect I wanted to show. Not necessarily the product itself.